Compressed air pump,particularly for concrete

ABSTRACT

A PUMP FOR CONCRETE OPERATED BY COMPRESSED AIR COMPRISES TWO CHAMBERS (1, 1&#39;&#39;) IN EACH OF WHICH THE CONCRETE IS FED THROUGH A VALVE PORT (4, 4&#39;&#39;) IN THE UPPER PART OF THE CHAMBER, WHICH PORT IS SEQUENTIALLY OPENED AND CLOSED BY A VALVE PLUG MEMBER (14, 14&#39;&#39;) INCLUDING A PORTION (16, 16&#39;&#39;) ADAPTED TO CLOSE THE ORIFICE AND SOFTER PORTION (15, 15&#39;&#39;) ADAPTED TO PENETRATE INTO SAID PORT   FOR KEEPING IT CLEAN FROM CONCRETE PARTICLES, SAID VALVE PLUG MEMBER BEING MOVED IN TIME SEQUENCE WITH RESPECT TO VALVES FOR INTRODUCING COMPRESSED AIR IN SAID CHAMBERS AND DISCHARGING CONCRETE THEREFROM.

G. FALDI 3,667,865

COMPRESSED AIR PUMP, PARTICULARLY FOR CONCRETE June 6, 1972 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 13, 1970 mm H MmW w wjm N L T Ir W MU .IL GR m V 3 June 6, 1972 G. FALDl 3,667,865

COMPRESSED AIR PUMP, PARTICULARLY FOR CONCRETE Filed Jan. 13, 1970 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent COMPRESSED AIR PUMP, PARTICULARLY FOR CONCRETE Giovanni Faldi, Via Por S. Maria 4, Florence, Italy Filed Jan. 13, 1970, Ser. No. 2,512 Claims priority, application Italy, Jan. 24, 1969, 11,982/69 Int. Cl. F0411 15/02; F0413 3/36; F16k 3/36 US. Cl. 417--122 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A pump for concrete operated by compressed air comprises two chambers (1, 1) in each of which the concrete is fed through a valve port (4, 4) in the upper part of the chamber, which port is sequentially opened and closed by a valve plug member (14, 14) including a portion (16, 16) adapted to close the orifice and a softer portion (15, 15') adapted to penetrate into said port for keeping it clean from concrete particles, said valve plug member being moved in time sequence with respect to valves for introducing compressed air in said chambers and discharging concrete therefrom.

There are known various systems for pumping fluids by means of compressed air, and these systems generally comprise:

While this type of pump has, as is well-known, a high degree of efiiciency in the presence of water, and sand mixes and mixes in any case having conspicuously good ilowability, it is not suitable for the pumping of. concrete, as in such case particular account has to be taken of the following characteristics:

(a) the presence of gravel, even of considerable dimensions, hampers the operation of-the intake valves as normally embodied (b) their high viscosity causes the substances to be pasty and without flowability, as is the case with water mixes generally, so that an intake valve of hinged-plate or other type cannot close by pressure if surrounded by concrete .on all sides (c) the violent discharge of compressed air from the inside of the pumpbody inevitably entrains concrete particles which, if they have to pass through more or less long piping to reach the distributor group, would rapidly cause blockage of the passage ports and would damage the mechanical members of the distributor itself.

From the foregoing it follows that a compressed air pump for the pumping of concrete must have special characteristics that will obviate the difficulties arising from the nature of concrete.

The compressed air pump for concrete forming subject matter of the present invention has the purpose of obviating the aforesaid difiiculties. The said pump consists of two or more automatic valves for the intake and delivery of the concrete and for the intake and discharge of the compressed air, a compressed air source and a distributor for the compressed air, interposed between the said chamber and the said source; characterized by the fact that the concrete intake valve of each chamber opens at the side and at a considerable height from the bottom, and also by the fact that the plug, controlled from the outside,

3,667,865 Patented June 6, 1972 is provided with an auxiliary member which cleans the valve seating before closure.

Another characteristic of the invention is that the compressed air intake and discharge valves in each chamber are also controlled from, and positioned on, the top of the chamber so as to prevent any concrete particles from being entrained and taken to the distributor.

These and other characteristics will be seen more clearly from the form of embodiment illustrated in the annexed drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic section view of a pump comprising two chambers;

FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic view of a transportable unit for the pumping of concrete with the pump forming subject matter of the invention.

The pump shown comprises a body formed by two cylindrical chambers 1-1', the lower bottom of which 2-2 is closed by a large plug 3-3 which can be rapidly opened, so as to allow the emptying and above all the cleaning by means of water jets when the pumping Work has been completed. Each chamber is provided with an intake valve port 4-4 for the concrete connected by a tube 5 to the loading hopper 6, and a delivery valve 7-7 connected at one end to the dipping tube 8-8 and at the other end to a delivery tube 9-9 connected to a manifold 10. In addition, each chamber is equipped with an intake valve for the compressed air 11-1 1 coming from a source (not shown) through the tube 13 and with an air vent valve 12-12.

The single intake valve 4, 14 is not in the usual shape of a hinged or guided plate since, as stated above, the viscosity of the concrete would hamper its closure. The valve is, rather, embodied as follows. I

Firstly, it is displaced towards the upper portion of the pump body so that it works virtually in the absence of concrete since the latter, especially the types containing a lower percentage of water, will not easily fill the pump body completely. Furthermore, it is possible, through the regulationof the phases, to limit the filling times in order to avoid, even in the case of pumpingfluid concrete, an excessive filling of each pump body.

The valve 4, 14 is arranged horizontally and comprises a plunger or plug 14 having a rubber head, the front portion thereof :15, formed by soft rubber, acts as a cleaning plug for the seat of the valve port 4, whereas the immediately adjoining portion 16 carries out the closing of the seat of valve port 4 of the previously cleaned valve port. The control for opening and closing the valve, moving plug 14 away from port 4 out of the path of flow and contact with incoming cement or closing port 4 with plug 14, is given by means of a piston 17 which slides in the cylinder 20', this latter working preferably by compressed air and made up of a material Withstanding the wearout due to the presence of concrete.

The single delivery valve 7 is made up according to the rubber ball type .18 and the only particular feature is given by a door 19-19' with a quick-opening system for the container of the ball itself so as to allow the fast washing of the inside upon completion of the work.

The intake and the outlet of the compressed air from the pump-bodies 1- 1' in order to prevent the shortcomings due to the entrainment of concrete particles which would cause the wear of the distributor and clogging of the passage ports, are achieved respectively by means of the valves 11-11 and :12-12 placed immediately on the pump body, controlled and operating preferably by compressed air, by means of a piston 21-21 and 2-2-22 the piston rod thereof being integral With a dish of an abrasion-resistant rubber 23-23 and 24-24 which closes the seat of the outlet or the intake ports.

In order to prevent the concrete particles carrying air to be discharged immediately to the atmosphere, to the outlet mouth 25-25 of said valve may'be connected a" pipe 26 (FIG. 2) having a large diameter, this pipe terminating into a. tank 27 having the task of dampening the discharge noises as well of braking the discharge of the water itself. This tank too may be readily opened and Washed with water jets on completion of the Work.

On the bottom portion of the tank there is provided a slot 28- for the discharge, so as to have the residual substances discharged to ground in a smooth manner.

The air distributor in this case comprises the only controls formed by the cams 30-31-32 keyed to a single shaft 33 and the distribution valves 34-35-36 and 34'-3i5-36', which are needed for the functioning of the valves 11-11' and 12-12 and pistons 17-17, said functioning taking place cyclically with an advance so as to obtain the uniform flow of the concrete.

The pump in its entirety (pump body and distributor) is preferably mounted on a trolley 37 (FIG. 2), and the 1 pump body forming one with its related charging hopper 6--which can be provided with a stirrer-is hinged, so as to allow it to rotate about its own axis until a horizontal position is reached.

On completion of the work it is thus possible to carry out a rapid washing of all the parts that have been in contact with the concrete, by means of water jets.

After removal of the cover 19 of the delivery valve 9 and the rapid-closure plug '3 on the bottom 2, it becomes a simple matter to wash the inside of the single pump bodies also.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A compressed air pump for use in pumping concrete or similar material comprising 7 a source of compressed air;

at least two closed chambers, each having an intake valve and a delivery valve for the material being pumped and an intake valve and discharge valve for compressed air;

a distributor between said source of compressed air and said at least two closed chambers;

a port of said intake valve for the material in each of said chambers entering a wall of each of said chambers from the side of each said chamber near the upper portion of said Wall and having an internal seat; plugging means to close each said port positioned to extend from an opposite wall of each said chambers and having a resilient ancillary means attached thereto; said ancillary means having a diameter larger than said internal seat of said intake valve port;

whereby the ancillary means cleans said internal seat prior to the seating of said plugging means; means to control operation of said plugging means to move said plugging means out of the path of the material being pumped located outside of said] chambers and connected to said plugging means. 2. The pump as claimed in claim -1, further characterized by said means to control operation of said plugging means including a piston in a pneumatic cylinder; said ancillary means of said plugging means being an integrally, frontally mounted rubber plug. 3. The pump as claimed in claim '1, further characterized by means to control said intake valve and said discharge valve for compressed air located outside of said chambers? said intake valve and said discharge valve for compressed air located on the top wall of each said chamber whereby the entrainment of concrete particles in pipes connected to said valves :is reduced or prevented. 4; The pump as ized by said discharge valve for compressed air having an outlet port connected by a pipe of large diameter to the inside of a dampening chamber which communicates with the atmosphere through downwardly extending s ots. S. The pump as claimed in claim 1, further characterized by means to mount the pump rotatably about an axis for ease of washing said chambers on completion of a pumping operation. 6. A compressed air pump for use in pumping concrete or similar material comprising a source of compressed air;

at least two closed chambers, each having an intake valve and a delivery valve for the material being pumped and an intake valve and discharge valve for compressed air;

a distributor between said source of compressed air and said at least two closed chambers;

a port of said intake valve for the material in each of said chambers entering a wall of each said chamber near the upper portion of said wall and having a seat for said valve;

plugging means to close said port of each said intake valve for the material having an ancillary means attached thereto clean said seat of said port prior to closing said valve;

means to control operation of said plugging means located outside of said chambers and connected to said plugging means;

a piston in a pneumatic cylinder attached to each of said intake valves and discharge valves for compressed air and each said plugging means for each said intake valve for the material, for control thereof;

said distributor connected to each said pneumatic cylinder and including distribution valves, and a single plural-cam shaft means to cyclically control said distributor valves.

claimed in claim 1, further character- References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,844,105 2/1932 Schnell 417-3 12 1,818,375 8/1931 Bourne 417-312 I 832,930 10/1906 Strong 417-422 964,486 7/1910 Bowser 137-244 2,405,100 7/1946 Stephens 417-540 2,957,430 10/ 1960 Naef 417-900 3,173,379 3/1965 Jolly 41-7123 FOREIGN PATENTS 660,970 11/1951 Great Britain 137-244 CARLTON R. CROYLE, Primary Examiner R. E. GLUCK, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

4l75l5, 900, 312; l37-244 

